Popular Front of India Delhi chief, secretary arrested for Delhi riots

New Delhi, March 12

A day after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said two people had been identified for funding the riots here in the northeast districts, the Delhi Police Special Cell on Thursday arrested two Popular Front of India (PFI) members in this connection.

“We have arrested Mohammad Iliyas and Parvez Ahmed for their alleged role in instigating the people during the Delhi riots,” a senior official told IANS over the phone.

“Their role has also surfaced in the funding of the riots,” the officer said.

The official said the role of Iliyas was also under scanner for funding the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest in Shaheen Bagh area of southeast Delhi, which has been going on since December 15 last year.

Ahmed is the Delhi President of PFI, while Iliyas is secretary of the organisation.

Iliyas, a resident of Shiv Vihar, also contested the 2020 Delhi Assembly polls from Karawal Nagar on a ticket from SDPI.

Besides the Special Cell, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) is also probing the alleged funding of the anti-CAA protests across the country by the PFI.

In January, the ED said it identified several bank accounts used for funding over Rs 120 crore for the anti-CAA protests across the country.

Parvez and Illiyas are likely to be produced before Delhi’s Patiala House Court later. IANS